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How Important is Your Heart?
If your loved one is still with you because the doctors used a defibrillator to restore his/her heart beat or you know someone who now wears a Pacemaker, then you already know that no heart beat, skipped heart beats and abnormal heart beats can result in the death of you or your loved one.

Heart Healthy Foods
So here are some important foods that you should incorporate into your diet to strengthen your heart muscles and help your heart to efficiently and effectively carry out its functions of providing a continuous daily supply of approximately 2,000 gallons of oxygen-rich blood to your coronary arteries and every cell in your body:

Foods to AVOID!
While it is good to know about the foods that help and heal the respiratory system, it is even more important to know which foods to avoid or reduce in your diet since these foods will aggravate you cough, which is the most common symptom that one has a respiratory problem or disease, and whatever respiratory problem you are suffering with.

What is the Respiratory System?
In human beings, the respiratory system (or ventilatory system) is composed of the nose, mouth, airways (pharynx, larynx, trachea), lungs, diaphragm and the respiratory muscles. The Respiratory System manages the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between you and the environment.

Respiratory System diseases you can PREVENT:1. Coughs2. Asthma3. Bronchitis

We all know the old adage, “Prevention is better than cure.” That’s definitely true when it comes to taking care of your eyes and your body in general. Today I will share with you some foods you can eat to improve and maintain the health of your eyes. After all, no one wants to be blind. And if, like me, you wear corrective lenses or currently suffer with some eye disease, then you certainly know the importance of and value quite a lot your eye sight.

Four (4) EYE CARE TIPS:
If you work in air conditioning, as is the case in many countries, or live in a temperate country you will experience dry eyes due to the dry air. So use of these simple eye care tips can prevent damage to your eyes:

1. Remember to blink every few minutes – this lubricates your eye. We naturally do not blink when watching TV or in front of a computer screen.

2. Use a few drops of eye lubricant at least twice a week before going to bed to help relax and restore moisturize to your eye.

3. Avoid smoke-filled areas.

4. Practice moving your eyes right to left (x7), up and down (x7), clockwise and anti-clockwise (x3), as exercise for the muscles in your eyes each day.

Foods for the EYES:Carrots, Squash, Apricots, Orange, Spinach.

In general, orange and yellow foods are good for the eyes since they contain Vitamins A and C. Carrots provide the richest source of beta-carotene, which the body transforms into Vitamin A. Squash contains beta-carotene and potassium which help to prevent the formation of cataracts. Spinach, although not a yellow or orange food, contains two (2) carotenoids – lutein and zeaxanthin – which are very effective in preventing loss of vision. Added to this you can purchase a supplement with Vitamins A, C and E.

Waiting on God For Unanswered Prayers
One of the biggest challenges one can face as a Christian or believer in God is holding on to your faith in the midst of a difficult situation that you have prayed about, fasted about, cried about, pleaded with God about and which still remains unsolved. Our unanswered prayers can leave us anxious, questioning and drained. Maybe you’ve prayed for years to have a child, to find a job, to change your job, to find your soulmate, to get a promotion you deserved, for you, a family member or a friend to recover from some illness, for relief with your financial situation, for relief in a bad marriage, for deliverance from an abusive situation or relationship, for a change in the behaviour of a delinquent child, or some other unbearable situation.

However, it is in these very difficult times that we must hold on to our faith the strongest and keep trusting God despite the fact that, in the natural or physical, we have no sight of relief. We have to keep trusting that God is working things out on our behalf in the best way possible and in His perfect timing. It is not vain hope! For as scripture states, “As bad as you are, you know how to give good things to your children. How much more, then, will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him! (Matthew 7:11).”

When Martha and Mary’s brother Lazarus was sick and about to die, the sisters sent a message to Jesus telling him to come quickly because as they put it, “Lord your dear friend is sick (John 11:3).” However, Jesus arrived when, as far as they could see, it was too late. Jesus arrived when their brother was already dead! And we can very well understand Martha’s anguish when she said to Him, “If you had been here, Lord, my brother would not have died! (John 11:21).” We feel her powerlessness and understand her questioning God, as we have sometimes done, about why he could not have intervened earlier or solved our problem already. Nevertheless we have consolation in the fact that God knows our difficult situation and will assist us, for Jesus solemnly warns but consoles us, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world (John 16:33).”

Corrie Ten Boom blesses us with her wisdom after making it through one of history’s human horrors, as she states, “Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.” So although you may have already waited on God an extremely long time, as you continue to wait on God, remind yourself each morning, “I know not what the future holds, but I know who holds the future (Author Unknown).”

As you enter the 40s, 50s and 60s, you may have noticed that it gets increasingly harder to keep off excess weight. You’re eating the same portions, and even less sometimes, but you notice an increase in weight gain. Things you used to eat and quantities you used to eat get tricky. Well as you age your body’s metabolism slows down. What this means is that your body burns fat at a slower rate. So although you may be eating the same as always, or even a little less, your body’s reduced efficiency at burning fat means that fat gets deposited in places you don’t want – mostly stomach and thighs – instead of being burnt up and away. There is hope yet. How and what you eat can help to keep you from gaining extra pound and save the day. Here’s how.

Tips for Eating to Avoid Weight Gain

1. Eat slowly: People who eat slower consume less since they tend to feel full faster than people who eat quickly.
2. Eat small portions more often: If you eat one large meal on a given day you give your body too much work to digest the food and there is increased likelihood of some of that excess food being turned into fat. If however you eat small portions of food every 4 hours, you maintain a steady blood sugar level and you increase your body’s metabolism, which results in more efficient burning of fat.
3. Do not eat your primary meal in the afternoon or at night: You use most of your energy during the day so your primary meals should be breakfast and lunch. Thereafter, you increase your body’s likelihood of storing fat since food eaten in the afternoon and especially at night will not be burned up by the body in energy intensive activities but stored as fat instead since you are a lot less active at night.
4. Eat more fruits, vegetables and lean protein: Fruit and vegetables are rich in fiber and are very filling for a long time. Breads, pastries and manufactured snacks, however, contain too much carbohydrates that give a filling feeling initially and empty calories which contribute to weight gain.

Very few people realize how the people they associate with can positively or negatively affect their health. If you’ve ever been around a motivational speaker, for example, have you noticed how after listening to that person you feel as though you can conquer the world? On the other hand, if you’ve had occasion to be in the company of a negative person, you might remember how tired you felt around that person. That tiredness you felt was physical manifestation of the negative energy that person was transmitting to you.

At various stages in your life, you will meet negative people. Recognizing the behaviour of a negative person, realizing it for what it is and learning to manage or deal with negative people – at work, at home, on a committee, in your church – will help you maintain your inner peace and preserve your health.

Your mind and body operate very much like a computer system; Garbage In, Garbage Out (GIGO). If you eat the right foods and exercise regularly, you will look and feel good physically and mentally. If you keep company with positive individuals you are more likely to experience positive emotions and have a positive outlook on life. This does not mean that you will not have challenges and disappointments in life. What it does mean, is that you will handle or confront those challenges and disappointments in a positive manner that will allow you to make good of the challenge or disappointment.

Additionally, as you age, your skin naturally becomes drier, less elastic and produces more wrinkles. However, you can significantly slow down this aging of your skin and help your skin in its elimination process by keeping your skin continuously moist and hydrated through the following simple skin care routine.

Skin Care Routine:
Drink plenty of water; 8 glasses each day. Eat lots of yellow and orange fruits which provide Vitamin A. Take a good Vitamin E supplement. Eat cucumbers, which supply sulphur – a trace element that is necessary for healthy skin!!

Also use water-based moisturizing creams or olive oil on the skin, immediately after bathing to keep moisture locked into your skin.

Dedicate 30 minutes to God each day in prayer and thanksgiving. Everyday we are blessed with 1440 minutes to live our lives as we please. 30 minutes only amount to a mere 2% of our entire day. God, the giver of life, deserves some of our day.

Life can be challenging and so we often have many wants, needs and aspirations. Make sure that while you ask God for your wants and needs, you also make time for two (2) important things:

1. Praise God for who He is.
During this time of praise and worship, do not ask God for anything. Just praise Him for being your God. This is the equivalent of saying to God, “…hallowed be your name”. Think of it this way. We do not like friends who always want something when they see us. We want friends who would just like us for who we are and appreciate spending time in our company without asking or needing anything. Well God didn’t tell me this (smile) but I am sure He also would like us to just spend time with Him not seeking anything for ourselves.

2. Thank Him for your daily blessings.
“You say grace before meals. All right. But I say grace before the concert and the opera, and grace before the play and pantomime, and grace before I open a book, and grace before sketching, painting, swimming, fencing, boxing, walking, playing, dancing and grace before I dip the pen in the ink.” — G. K. Chesterton

I guess the point that G.K. Chesterton is making is that we need to be thankful for both the small and the big things in our lives. Why? Consider this. Suppose you didn’t have feet? Well you wouldn’t be able to dance, much less walk. So giving thanks before walking isn’t that weird. Is it? Suppose you didn’t have hands? Well you wouldn’t be able to swim or fence or sketch etcetera. So again, giving thanks for being able to do all those things is quite fitting, enables you to develop a grateful spirit and opens you up to receive even more from the universe.

Did you know that you burn energy/use calories even while you are asleep? Astonishing, but true. This is known as your resting metabolic rate. The energy burned or calories used up while you sleep is only sufficient “….for the functioning of the vital organs, the heart, lungs, nervous system, kidneys, liver, intestine, sex organs, muscles, and skin (Wikipedia).”

Your overall metabolic rate includes your resting metabolic rate plus the amount of energy or calories that your body burns or uses up during the day. Your resting metabolic rate or Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) can be calculated using a combination of personal statistics including your age, your weight, your height and your sex. As you age (past age 40), your metabolic rate naturally slows up and you need to do more active work to speed up or maintain your metabolism.

It is also important that you avoid eating large meals in any one sitting and reduce the amount of time between meals, as this slows down your metabolism. Instead eat small snacks or meal portions every four (4) hours. That way your energy level will not experience drastic fluctuations and your body will burn energy faster. Eating the right foods in the right proportions alone, however will not boost your metabolism. This must be combined with exercise (ideally, 40 minutes daily or at least 20 minutes every other day).

Knowledge is power! So visit http://www.bmi-calculator.net/body-fat-calculator/ to calculate your Body Fat, Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) and Body Mass Index and find out whether you’re in shape or need to get in shape and take control of YOUR health.

The kidneys are primarily responsible for filtering and eliminating toxins and waste from the body. When your kidneys fail, however, harmful toxins and wastes build up in your body. Dialysis is the treatment used to replace the work of your failed kidneys. It is a tedious and fatiguing treatment, which requires you to visit a dialysis center three (3) times a week for 3 to 5 or more hours each visit. DON’T LET YOUR KIDNEYS FAIL YOU!!!

What is the Urinary Tract (System)
“The Urinary System or urinary tract (also called the excretory system) is the organ system that produces, stores, and eliminates urine. In humans it includestwo (2) kidneys, two ureters, the bladder and the urethra. (Wikipedia)”

For additional information on how you can improve your overall health visit MPSE Health and for delicious recipes, great gift ideas, book & product reviews, as well as inspirational Catholic & Christian articles visit the Catholic Contributor.

Contentment

In the natural ebb and flow of life and living, there are high points and low points, seasons of plenty and seasons of scarcity. Happiness is not derived from the abundance, number or type of material things we have.

Contentmentis the ability to be happy in both the sparse and abundant seasons of our lives and it is not dependent on our circumstances. We need to develop this spirit of contentment in order to positively contribute to our overall health, happiness and well-being.

Let this truly inspirational video by Joyce Meyer on Contentment be a blessing to you!

For more self-help tips on how you can improve your overall health, delicious recipes, personal book & product reviews and Catholic & Christian articles visit the Catholic Contributor or MPSE Health

Have you seen any advertisements on television lately for pharmaceutical medicine? The ad normally goes something like this, “If you’re suffering from XYZ then you should take ABC. Please note that if your suffer from w, t, n, p, q then you should not take this medication.”

To me it’s hilarious, really! Why? Because by the time they have completed the list of persons who suffer with various illnesses who should not take the advertised medication, that pretty much rules out EVERYBODY!

There is a very effective healing method called REFLEXOLOGY, however, that has been working for ages to help persons, regardless of age, bring healing to their own bodies by helping the body to harness its own self-healing powers.

Although I focused on women and girls in that article, anybody can experience healing through reflexology as you will see when you explore the PLANTAR FOOT MAP that I have included. You can do reflexology on your own hands and feet or those of your loved ones to help restore perfect health to them or yourself. Or you can treat yourself and go to a licensed reflexologist to have it done for you.

According to Aine McAteer on Oprah.com, “Greens are powerful antioxidants, which are known to protect the body from damage from toxins in the environment and the foods we eat. Antioxidants neutralize these toxins and clear them from the body.”

That’s not all they do, though. In her article titled, ‘Embracing all things Green‘, she provides a short summary of 5 other amazing things that green vegetables do for our bodies that will leave you embracing your green vegetables for real.

And in order to show you just how easy, delicious and rewarding having your green vegetables daily can be, why not check out my Naturally Sweet Cole Slaw Vegetable Salad Recipe which I LOVE preparing and eating, knowing that I am enjoying my greens while benefiting from all the good and healthy things they provide and do for my body.

Alan Redpath, a renowned British evangelist, pastor and author who was born on January 9, 1907 and died on March 16, 1989, has a famous T.H.I.N.K quote which will form the basis of this week’s blog post and it goes as follows:

T – Is it true?H – Is it helpful?I – Is it inspiring?N – Is it necessary?K – Is it kind?If what I am about to say does not pass those tests, I will keep my mouth shut!

Too often we have seen people’s characters, reputations, careers, relationships and families destroyed because of gossip and rumours spread by unthinking individuals. Many times the individuals gossiping or spreading the rumors are not mean persons but are just so caught up in hearing and spreading “juicy” news about other people’s business that they fail to realize that what they say has the potential to travel for thousands of miles and destroy people’s personal, social and work life. Spend your time learning something new or volunteering instead of gossiping or spreading rumors.

There are times when all evidence points to someone being guilty of doing or saying something which in fact they did not do or say. So if many of us were to place our heads on a block as a sign of certainty that someone did or said something, we would certainly get our heads chopped off, because circumstances are not always what they seem.

It is also important to note that Alan Redpath urges us to speak only after satisfying ALL of the five (5) criteria. In other words, even if something is TRUE that does not mean that one should gossip and spread it . Dig deeper and ask yourself whether what you are about to say will help someone, whether it is in any way uplifting, whether it is absolutely necessary to say what you are about to say and whether what you are about to say is kind. A simple test which I use, and which I advocate that everyone uses, is to ask myself, “Would I like someone to say about me what I am about to say about this person?”

Unfortunately, many people are unable to fathom the damage they cause and emotional pain they inflict on others by gossiping or spreading rumours until they themselves have been the victim of such a travesty. So the onus and responsibility is on each and every one of us to ensure that we T.H.I.N.K before we speak about others. Employ charity when you speak about others or don’t speak at all.